Lowest number of pirate attacks in 22 years

The number of pirate attacks in 2017 was the lowest since 1996, International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported. But the organization stresses the fact, that there is still a posibilty of attacks, for example in places such as Guinea Bay. Only 182 incidents were registered.

"This is the lowest number of incidents since 1995, where 188 reports were received," IMB writes in its latest annual report.

In 2017 IMB only registered 182 incidents of pirate attacks. 136 vessels were boarded by pirates, while 22 attempted assaults took place, 16 ships were shot at and six ships were hijacked, according to the annual report.

In 15 separate cases 91 crewmembers were taken as hostages and in 13 other cases 75 crewmembers were kidnapped from their ships. Three crewmembers were killed in 2017 and six were injured.

In 2016 a total of 191 pirate related incidents were detected, in which 150 of them, pirates boarded ships and 151 crewmembers were taken hostages.

"Even though the number of incidents has decreased in 2017 compared to the previous year, Guinea Bay and the sea around Nigeria remains a threat to seafarers," IMB director Pottengal Mukundan said.

Off the coast of Somalia the number of pirate attacks rose in 2017, where nine incidents were registered compared to only two events in 2016.